NJ’s sales tax holiday: How long it lasts, what items apply, and what to know

Aug 19, 2023

Doing back to school shopping? New Jersey wants to help make it a bit more manageable, financially speaking.

The state's sales tax holiday takes place from Aug. 26 until Sept. 4, which is Labor Day. During that time, select school supplies, electronics and sports or recreational equipment can be purchased in the state without having the sales tax added to the final price.

It initially may not sound like much, as saving 6.625% on a smaller item may not add a lot to shoppers' pockets. But it can be combined with sales and deals already in place at stores, and can mean decent savings if the purchase is for something like, say, a laptop. For example, an $1,800 computer would come with almost a $120 discount when sales tax is not added.

However, there are some rules that come with the sales tax holiday. Here's a list of eligible items and what rules apply when buying certain things:

Computers:

School art supplies:

Computer supplies:

An important note with these items: The schedulers and digital assistants cannot be cellphones, which are not eligible for the sales tax holiday. Also, the sales price of of these items must be less than $1,000.

Instructional Materials:

School supplies:

Sports or recreational equipment:

The state also put out a list of FAQs regarding the sales tax holiday for any additional questions.